Four Generations (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Niblet's first Cubs game with Grandma Ang.


**Notes:** Mari and Sammy – Thank you for letting me incorporate Cubs fandom into the REAL World. La famiglia!

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your incredible support with each and every story. Over three years in and it still amazes me.

This story is for my two favorite Cub fans: my grandmother who made me one, too, and my mother, who carries on the Grandma Ang traditions and has added a few of her own.

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Four Generations (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

 **Sunday, June 4**

"We're here," Elizabeth called as she unlocked and opened the front door of the beach house. She stepped inside followed by Grandma Ang, with Joseph bringing up the rear, his mother-in-law's large purse over one shoulder.

Cammie stood right at the entryway ready to greet them, tail wagging happily.

Catherine smiled as she came out of the kitchen. "That's a good look, Dad."

He straightened from petting Cammie and glanced at the purse, grinning wryly. "I'm told there's something very precious inside."

"Well, now I'm intrigued," Catherine said, exchanging a quick kiss on the cheek with her mother and grandmother in greeting.

"It's a surprise," Ang said before pressing a gentle hand to Catherine's belly. "Hello to you, too, in there."

Catherine smiled at her grandmother's happy expression as she addressed Niblet.

Joseph passed the purse to Elizabeth and leaned over to kiss his daughter's cheek.

"Steve upstairs?" he asked.

Catherine nodded. "He's laying out the parts of the crib to assemble but I don't think he's started yet."

"He hasn't," Steve said, appearing on the landing dressed in shorts and an old t-shirt.

"Excellent," Joseph said, similarly attired, rubbing his hands together. "We'll leave you ladies to the Cubs/Cardinals game and go put together a baby crib. We expect frequent updates."

"You'll get them," Elizabeth said, smiling.

"We've taken two out of three," Ang said, moving over toward the sofa. "It's time to sweep the Redbirds!"

"Have fun," Catherine said, throwing a smile up in Steve's direction. "Can't wait to see it. And the shelves, too."

"After today, just about all Niblet's room will be missing is Niblet," Steve said, grinning.

"I like the sound of that," Elizabeth enthused.

"Do you want something to drink, Gram?" Catherine asked as Joseph made his way upstairs to join Steve. "We've got water, iced tea … there's some sugar-free lemonade."

"How about a sugar-free Arnold Palmer?" Ang asked with a smile.

"I'll get it, honey," Elizabeth said, setting Ang's purse down by the sofa. "You help your grandmother get settled." She winked. "Or maybe the other way around." She looked at Catherine. "Do you want anything while I'm in there?"

"My water bottle's on the counter," Catherine said. "Thanks, Mom."

As Elizabeth disappeared into the kitchen, Ang plopped down on one end of the sofa and shifted to get comfortable. Once set, she patted the spot beside her.

"Come here, my girl. I've been waiting to watch a game with you … _and_ Niblet," she added with a smile.

"Niblet's first Cubs game with Grandma Ang," Catherine said happily, slowly lowering herself to the sofa. "I've been looking forward to this, too." She got comfortable and put her feet up on the coffee table to keep them elevated. "Do you think they've got a good chance to sweep?"

"You never know what's going to happen with the Cardinals in town, arch rivals and all, but a sweep sure would be nice after that ugly road trip to California."

Catherine cringed. "Agreed."

"They've been hitting better at Wrigley. Schwarber had the grand slam. Bryant and Baez homered. Heyward's had some timely hits." Ang smiled. "And even though he's not a Cubbie any more, it was nice to see Dexter Fowler get his ring."

Catherine smiled. "Yeah."

"Of course he didn't have to thank us by hitting a leadoff homer right after that."

Catherine chuckled.

"Is she talking about Fowler's home run?" Elizabeth asked, coming out of the kitchen with a water bottle under her arm and a glass in each hand.

"I'm just saying, did it have to be the lead off hit?"

Elizabeth set one lemonade/iced tea mix on a coaster in front of Ang and one at the other end of the coffee table by where she would be sitting. She handed Catherine the now filled water bottle and took a small pillow from the end of the sofa.

"Here, honey, put this under your feet," she said, gesturing for Catherine to lift her feet up.

"Oh, thanks, Mom," Catherine said, resettling her feet on top of the pillow. "And thank you for refilling the water bottle."

"Of course." She took her own seat, picking up the remote.

"I've got the channel cued up," Catherine said.

"Perfect." Elizabeth turned on the television where the announcers and commentators were still doing the pre-game.

"Hey, is that …?" Catherine started.

"That's Grandpa Rossy!" Ang said, nearly squealing with delight.

"I'd heard he'd joined ESPN," Elizabeth said. "How wonderful he gets to do a Cubs game!"

"Such a nice man," Ang said. "I thought he should have won that Star Dancing show."

Catherine grinned. "Of course you do, Gram."

"I sent you that video of him dancing to _Go, Cubs, Go_ , right?" Elizabeth asked.

"Twice," Catherine said, chuckling. "It was awesome."

"And his adorable little daughter saying 'Go, Cubs, Go,' " Ang added, beaming. "That'll be Niblet one day."

"And speaking of Niblet …" Elizabeth prompted.

"Oh yes," Ang said, reaching over the side of the sofa for her purse. "The surprise."

"Yes," Catherine said excitedly. "What's this precious surprise?"

Ang pulled out a rolled up piece of clothing, tied with a blue ribbon. She unrolled it to reveal a slightly worn, white onesie, the familiar blue and red Cubs logo right in the center.

"Ohhhh," Catherine said, taking the tiny onesie in her hands and holding it out. "Look at this. Niblet's first Cubs onesie."

"Not just Niblet's," Ang said quietly.

Catherine looked at her, then at her mother who smiled knowingly.

"Mine?" Catherine asked.

Ang took out a photograph and handed it to her. In it was Ang holding a not-yet one-month old Catherine wearing the very same onesie, one hand wrapped tightly around her beaming grandmother's finger.

"I bought that shortly after your mother told me she was expecting," Ang said. "I knew we had another Cubs fan on the way, and she or he would need something to show team spirit." She leaned closer conspiratorially. "I knew it was a she, and I knew you and I would watch many, many Cubs games together, win or lose."

Catherine sniffed, wiping at a stray tear, and hugged her. "And we have."

"And soon it'll be Niblet's turn," Elizabeth said, beaming.

Catherine looked at her. "You held onto this," she said, holding up the onesie again.

"It was special. I didn't know if we'd ever need it again, but somehow I couldn't quite part with it. When you told us at Thanksgiving …" She smiled softly. "Well, I was glad I hadn't."

Catherine smiled, hugging her. "I'm glad, too." She sat back and laid the onesie over her belly. "There you go, Niblet. Your first Cubs gear. Just in time for the first pitch."

* * *

"Hoo hoo!" Ang cried a few minutes later, rocking back in her seat and lifting both arms triumphantly.

"Great catch!" Catherine exclaimed.

"It certainly was," Elizabeth said.

Joseph appeared on the landing. "Early lead?" he asked.

"Still top of the first," Elizabeth said. "But Heyward made a great diving catch."

"Robbed Carpenter of a base hit," Ang said. "Maybe even extra bases."

"That's why they pay him the big bucks," Joseph said.

"How's it going so far?" Catherine asked.

"It's going well. Just getting the brackets attached to the headboard now."

She nodded, and he headed back into Niblet's room.

"Heyward made a diving catch," he told Steve. "Saved an extra base hit."

Steve, fitting a latch bracket into place, nodded.

"That's quite a sight down there," Joseph said, taking his place again opposite his son-in-law. "Three generations of women …"

Steve looked up and grinned. "Four."

Joseph nodding, smiling broadly. "Four. Cubs fans, all. Wait'll you see it, Ang gave us this little Cubs onesie when Catherine was born. Elizabeth held onto it through all the moves over the years, and now Ang has given it to Catherine for Niblet."

Steve smiled, his eyes alight with happiness. "That's fantastic." His smile softened. "I'm so glad you guys are here. That you can spend so much time on the island, especially right now. Knowing Catherine's down there watching the game with her mother and her grandmother, just like she when she was younger." He grinned. "She used to tell me about it at the Academy when she'd come back from leave. How the Cubs were doing … not particularly well at the time, except for the '98 season … but mostly how she just loved sitting with her grandma watching the games together. How Grandma Ang would call 'em all bums. She does a great impression."

Joseph grinned. "Yes, she does." He sighed as memories came back to him. "That was always the highlight of Ang's visits, the Cub games. Sometimes they'd have to listen to the radio if we couldn't get the games on television … but I think Ang actually preferred that. Ron Santo was her favorite. There were even times she'd have the TV on, but the volume off so she could listen to the radio broadcast instead as they watched. Catherine would set it up like that for her and they'd sit together, cheering and groaning with every play."

"I want Niblet to have those memories, too."

Joseph smiled, reaching over to clasp Steve's shoulder. "She will, Steve. She will."

* * *

"Would you look at that?" Ang said, as the TV broadcast showed Jason Heyward standing in right field and playing catch with David Ross up in the stands. She laughed. "How about that?"

Steve and Joseph came down the stairs, planning to grab a couple water bottles from the kitchen.

"What?" Joseph asked as they reached the bottom.

"Heyward has a special warm-up partner this inning," Elizabeth said, smiling.

The two men stopped to watch the ball flying back and forth.

"That's actually pretty impressive," Joseph said. "Heyward has to be right on with his throw. Ross can't move from that spot and he's surrounded by people."

"Gold Glover," Ang said proudly.

"Taking a little break?" Catherine asked.

"Grabbing some waters," Steve said. "We've got the rails attached, just gotta do the mattress support and it'll be done. Then we'll get the shelves up."

Catherine smiled excitedly. "It's all coming together."

Steve grinned back. "Sure is."

Elizabeth beamed, looking between them. "I know you hate to hear it, but you two are just adorable."

Steve sighed good-naturedly. "Speaking of adorable …" He nodded toward the onesie still laying on Catherine's belly.

"Isn't it great?" she asked, smoothing it out. "Niblet's first Cubs onesie."

"It's fantastic. And I have a feeling it won't be her last."

"Probably not," Ang grinned. "I have my eye on a couple others."

"Me, too," Elizabeth admitted.

"Mom, you bought about ten outfits at the store yesterday, plus all those onesies you showed me when you first got here last month."

"I know."

Steve chuckled. "At this rate, we're going to need to change her clothes every other hour just to use them all."

"They're so hard to resist," Elizabeth said, smiling guiltily. "And with a newborn, you never know, you may have days you _do_ have to change her every other hour."

Catherine grinned. "Well, in that case, we won't run out of onesies."

* * *

An inning later, the crack of the ball hitting the bat had all three women sitting up a little straighter.

"Get out, get out, get out," Ang chanted. "Yes!" she cried when Ian Happ's ball stayed just fair as it flew over the right field fence.

"Home run!" Catherine cheered.

Elizabeth grinned. "We're calling him Cutie #3, after Kris Bryant and Tommy La Stella."

Catherine laughed. "Well, Cutie #3 just put the Cubs up 1-0."

"Home run?" Joseph called from upstairs.

"Happ," Elizabeth called back. "Cubs lead 1-0 in the third."

The next inning didn't start off well. Kyle Hendricks walked the first two batters then gave up a three-run shot.

"Ohhhhhh!" Ang groaned loudly.

Joseph appeared on the landing, Steve behind him. "Uh oh, I know what that sound means. Who was it?"

"That damn Piscotty," Ang groused.

"There's one on every team who always gets to our pitchers," Elizabeth agreed.

Though the score was less than optimal, Steve smiled to see Catherine sitting between her mother and grandmother, clearly so happy to have them here.

Another run scored in the fourth, and the Cardinals now led 4-1.

"Take a pitch!" Ang cried when Jason Heyward popped out on the first pitch of his at-bat in the bottom of the fourth.

"That's twice he's done that today," Elizabeth said, shaking her head.

Two batters later, Addison Russell hustled down the line to beat out the throw for an infield single, moving Miguel Montero to second.

Ang clapped. "Come on, get 'em in!"

"Pinch-hitter for Hendricks," Catherine said as Albert Almora, Jr. stepped up to the plate.

"Hey hey!" Ang cheered a minute later when Almora hit a ball into right field. "Hooo!" she cried when the right fielder misplayed the ball and two runs scored on the triple.

"Thank you!" Elizabeth said.

"We'll take that error," Ang said, as the Cubs now only trailed 3-4.

"Bet he wants that play back," Catherine observed.

After Kyle Schwarber walked, Ian Happ stepped up to the plate.

"How 'bout another homer?" Ang suggested with a grin.

"That'd be nice," Elizabeth agreed.

Another crack of the bat, and this time Happ sent the ball well into the stands in right center field.

"Wooooooooo!" Ang cheered, echoed by her daughter and granddaughter. "Back on top!"

Catherine laughed suddenly, putting a hand to her belly. "Oh, Niblet likes that, too." She grabbed her grandmother's hand so she could feel the baby moving.

Ang gasped, then beamed. "There's my girl."

Catherine grinned at the familiar moniker, sharing a smile with Elizabeth whose hand joined theirs.

"I knew you'd be a Cubs fan, too," Ang said happily.

At the top of the stairs, Joseph and Steve observed the scene with quiet pleasure, four generations of women celebrating a Cub home run together.

* * *

The Cardinals tied the game in the sixth inning, and after singing along with David Ross to _Take Me Out to the Ballgame_ during the seventh inning stretch, Catherine dropped her feet to the ground and said, "I'm ready for another stretch as well." She slid to the end of the sofa and pushed herself up slowly, Elizabeth's hand hovering at her arm as it had every other time Catherine had gotten up to stretch.

"Ooh," she said, rubbing her lower back.

"Are you okay, honey?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes," Catherine said. "Just getting to that point where no position is very comfortable for long." She grinned. "We have some watermelon. Anyone want some?"

"Definitely, if you and Niblet are willing to share," Elizabeth said, smiling back.

"We are. I'll be right back."

Cammie followed her to the kitchen, and while she was gone, Elizabeth and Ang set about rearranging pillows on the sofa to make Catherine more comfortable when she returned.

Catherine came back a minute later with the bowl of watermelon and three forks. She stopped, seeing the new configuration of pillows.

"This is what I used to do when I was pregnant with you," Elizabeth said. "Your father called it strategic pillow placement. Come on." She held out her hands and took the bowl and forks while Catherine maneuvered herself back into her seat.

"Ooh," she said, settling against the pillows. "That's nice." She smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome, honey." She handed the bowl back and passed out the forks. "Now let's break this tie."

The Cubs did just that when a John Jay pinch hit single scored Anthony Rizzo in the bottom of the seventh.

"I think Heyward purposely got caught between the bases," Elizabeth said after the play. "By overrunning second he drew the throw to third, ensuring Rizzo could score."

"He's a smart player," Ang said. "You might be right." She grinned as the broadcast returned after a commercial break and Carl Edwards, Jr. was on the mound warming up. "Ohh, I love him. So tall and thin. Even his hat looks big."

"And that baby face," Elizabeth added, smiling. "He's got a great arm, though."

They watched as after the first out, Edwards made a great catch on a comebacker to the mound, then threw a dominating strikeout to end the inning.

"Three more!" Ang said.

"This is really good watermelon," Elizabeth commented.

"Isn't it?" Catherine agreed, balancing the now mostly empty bowl on her belly. "I can't even guess how much watermelon I've eaten the last few months."

Her mother grinned. "There are worse cravings."

After the Cubs batted in the bottom of the eighth, forty-two year-old Koji Uehara closed out the game and got the save.

Catherine, Ang, and Elizabeth were singing along to _Go, Cubs, Go_ when Steve and Joseph came down the stairs.

"Sounds like they held on," Joseph said.

"They did, indeed," Elizabeth confirmed, smiling.

"Niblet's first Cubs game with Grandma Ang was a win!" Catherine said excitedly.

"Of course it was!" Ang said, beaming. "And swept the Cardinals, no less!"

Joseph nodded at the bowl in Catherine's hands. "Did you save any of that watermelon for us?"

She winced. "There's a little."

"I've got a backup bowl in the garage," Steve said with a little grin. "In the meantime, are you ready to see the room?"

"Definitely," Catherine said, pushing herself up and off the sofa.

Ang chuckled. "I may need a little help."

Joseph was quick to her side, quite used to helping his mother-in-law up from various chairs and sofas as needed.

They made their way up the stairs, some more slowly than others, and into Niblet's room.

"Ohh," Catherine said, as the others let her walk in first. "It's perfect." She stepped over to the crib, running a hand over the natural wood finish that matched the changing table and dresser that had been delivered earlier.

"Very nice," Elizabeth said, looking around. "I already have a bunch of books ready for those shelves."

"I bet you do," Catherine said, smiling. She turned back to the crib, her eyes slowly taking in every detail.

Steve stepped up beside her, his hand sliding gently across her back. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" he whispered, low enough that only she would hear.

A slow smile spread across her face. "Our daughter, sleeping right here."

He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Exactly."

She looked up at him, sharing a brief smile before turning to her parents and grandmother. "This is it," she said. "Well, nearly." She found Steve's hand between them and entwined their fingers. "We're still waiting for one more very important piece of furniture."

Elizabeth smiled knowingly. "The rocking chair that belonged to your grandparents," she said, looking at Steve.

He nodded. "Oke Oleani's replacing the broken slats with my father's spindles. Should be done soon."

"Such a beautiful tribute to your family."

"It is," Ang agreed as Joseph nodded.

Catherine squeezed Steve's hand, smiling softly at him.

"And now," she said, "the first piece of clothing to go into Niblet's new dresser …" She stepped over and opened the top drawer, carefully folding the Cubs onesie she'd brought upstairs and placing it inside. The others gathered around, looking at the logo, much-loved through all the highs and lows, all five imagining a dark-haired baby girl wearing the onesie and watching the Cubs with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Four generations of Cubs fans cheering on their team.

They couldn't wait.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

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